Agenda item

Andy Walker, Head of Service Business Growth, Lancashire County Council provided the Committee with an update on the performance of Growth Hub.

It was reported that Boost 2 European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is drawing to an end and that it is performing well in terms of achieving key funding performance requirements and in terms of wider local impact. It was noted that they are in the fortunate position to have secured funding for 2019-21.

Andrew Leeming, Boost Programme Manager, Business Growth informed the committee that they are currently on target and that Boost 2 has been a successful.

It was highlighted that the team have worked hard with delivery partners who have responded well which is driving growth and is a testament to the delivery partners.

The Committee were provided with a breakdown of some of the initial figures relating to Boost 2 delivery, noting that there was slightly less activity on social media.

It was reported that although they have linked in with Boost it may be useful for individual Committee Members to share information on social media via their own personal accounts to help promote Boost as it will increase reach, in addition to the ongoing promotion via the official Boost social media accounts.

Committee Members stated that it would be useful when sharing these social media posts, if officers could provide some wording for all Committee Members to use to ensure consistency when sharing.

After discussing the performance of Boost it was requested that Andrew Leeming looks at examples of other schemes at a similar level and add some benchmarks in so that they have something to compare the success against. It was also noted that it would prove useful to use any good feedback from successful businesses to show and attract other businesses with their story. It was requested that they look at what the next steps are to show what the end result of coming out of Boost is.

The committee discussed the Local Industrial Strategy and agreed to use the next meeting to look at this. It was mentioned that every part of the Industrial Strategy it is about to change therefore there is a need to draw down evidence of other growth hubs, look at what businesses want and what the ambition of Lancashire is and use the board meeting to support this.

Andy Walker confirmed that currently they do have a formal external evaluation in place.

It was noted that it would be good to learn what others are doing now and get ahead with this over the next 6 months. The Chairman informed the Committee that there are often sessions on in Manchester on the Local Industrial Strategy if anyone wishes to attend and offered to report back on these sessions.

Resolved:

(i)  That the Business Support Management Board note the report.

(ii)  Andrew to look at examples of other similar schemes to Boost at a similar level and add some benchmarks in so that they have something to compare the success against